Shrinkometer



Patented May 8, 1951 SHRINKOMETER Chester B. Budd, Akron, Ohio, assignorto The B. F. Goodrich Company, New York, N. Y., a

corporation of New York Application April 25, 1946, Serial No. 664,822

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to the determination of shrinkage characteristicsof filamentary articles such as reinforcing cords for tires, belts andthe like.

In the processing of cords for use as reinforcement in tires it isdesirable to provide cords of uniform shrinkage and shrinkage rates.Cords that have variable shrinkage characteristics, that is, variablechanges in length under given moisture conditions, sometimes causeexcessive breakage in the processing as where the cords are dipped in abath of adhesive. The shrinkage characteristics of reinforcing cordsused in such products as V-belts are of importance also, especially inaffecting adversely the uniformity .of lengthof the belt.

In selecting filamentary articles such as cords for use as reinforcementin tires and other products it is desirable to have testing apparatusand procedure adapted to determine conveniently the shrinkagecharacteristicsof such articles.

Objects of the invention are to provide for determining expeditiouslythe shrinkage characteristics of a cord or other filamentary article, toprovide for exposing the article to moisture, to provide for heating anddrying the article, to provide for determining the elongationcharacteristics of the cord or other filamentary article, and to provideapparatus for carrying out the test with facility.

These and further objects will be apparent from the followingdescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in whichFig. 1 is a front elevation of apparatus constructed according to andembodying the invention, parts being broken away.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, parts beingbroken away.

Apparatus embodying the invention is shown in the drawings in which afilamentary article such as a cord ID to be tested is held in a verticalposition by a pair of gripping elements such as plate clamps II and I2.The upper clamp II is connected to an element of flexible strip materialsuch as a cable l3. Said cable I3 passes over a pulley I4 and is securedto a hook It upon which detachable weights [5 are suspended. The weightsI5 counterbalance the Weight of the up per clamp l I and parts of themeasuring gage, as will be explained more fully hereinafter, and furthermay provide additional weight for subjecting the cord 50 to tension, ifdesired. The lower clamp i2 is secured to a vertical rod ll which ismounted in a lug l 8 which is attached to a vertical stand l9 by meansof bolts 20. As shown in the drawing, the rod H is slidably movable upand down in the lu I8 and may be fixed in position by a set screwthreaded in the lug. A bracket 2| mounted on the upper part of the stand[9 by bolts 22 and. supports the pulley I 4. The stand [9 may be mountedon a wall 25 or other suitable surface by angle-brackets 23 and 23a, andbolts 24, 24.

To measure shrinkage and elongation of the cord In a lineal displacementmeasuring means such as a springless dial gage 26 is mounted by means ofa bolt 34 on the vertical stand 18. In the dial gage 26, a rack 26a isslidably mounted in the casing of the gage 26 and is connected to theupper clamp II and to the cable I3. The rack 26a engages a pinion 2%which is rotatably mounted in the gage 26. An indicating pointer 260 ismounted on the pinion 26b and indicates displacement of the rack 26a ona calibrated dial 26d which is mounted on the gage 26. 7

To immerse the cord ID in a fluid acylindrical container 21 is slidablymounted on the rod ll. A packin type water seal 28 at the junction ofthe container 2'! and the red I! prevents the escape of fluid. A draintube'29 is mounted on the container 21 to drain the fluid and to makepossible a circulating system where the fluid may. enter at the open topof the container 21 and leave at the drain tube 29. To hold thecontainer 21 at a desired position, a support rod 3! is secured to thecontainer 21 and clamped to the stand I 9 by a wing-nut clamp 32. Theclamp 32 slides in a vertical slot 30 in the stand l9 permittin thecontainer 21 to move up and down the rod I! and holding it at anyposition along the slot 30. Heating elements 33, 33 to heat the cord It!may be mounted at each side of the slot 30 on the stand [9. Theapparatus may be balanced by increasing or decreasing the weights I5 onhook IE to counterbalance the upper clamp H and the rack 26a.

In use, assuming the parts to be in the positions shown in the drawings,the cord It to be tested may be clamped in the plate clamps, II and I2,and a reading taken from the dial gage 26 before wetting. The rod I 1may be moved up or down in the lug M3 to adjust the position of thelower clamp l 2 so that different length cords may be tested. Thecontainer 21 may be filled with a suitable fluid such as Water and thedrain tube 29 plugged, or a connection made to another container of acirculating system for controllin the fluid condition, if desired. Inthe latter case the fluid may be directed from the other container intothe open top of the container 21 and then through the drain tube 29 tothe other container. When desired, the container 21 may be moved to theposition shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1, to embrace the cord I0. Tohold the container at a desired position the wing nut clamp 32 may beused to clamp the container 21 to the stand 19. To determine theshrinkage or elongation characteristics of the cord In readings of thedial gage 26 may be taken at regular intervals of time during the periodwhen the characteristics of the cord H) are of interest, as during theperiod of immersion wetting. As the cord ll] decreases or increases inlength the rack 26a will move actuating the pinion 26b and rotating thepointer 260 which will indicate a change in length of the cord on thedial 26d. If it is desired that the cord be subjected to tension duringthe test, weights l5 may be added to the hook l6. During the immersionof the cord [0 in the fluid of the container 21 the fluid may be heatedand after the container 21 is lowered the cord It! may be heated bymeans of the heating elements 33, 33.

Variations may be made without departing from the scope of the inventionas it is defined in the following claims.

Iclaim:

1. Apparatus for measuring the change in length of a filamentary striparticle while immersed in a fluid, said apparatus comprising asupporting structure, a rod-like member mounted on said structure anddisposed in a vertical position, a gripping element mounted at the upperend of said rod-like element, an upper gripping element disposed abovesaid first-mentioned gripping element, a displacement-measuring meansmounted on said supporting structure and connected to said uppergripping element, means for subjecting the article to tension, and meansfor immersin the article in a fluid, said last-mentioned meanscomprising a fluid container receiving said rod-like member and mountedfor vertical adjustment along the same to embrace said article in theraised position and clear the article in the lowered position and havingupper and lower openings in the container wall for passage of saidrod-like member through both said openings, and means at the lower ofsaid openings between said container and said rodlike member for sealingthe opening in various positions of the adjustment.

2. Apparatus for measuring the shrinkage of a filamentary strip article,said apparatus comprising a pair of article-holding elements, asupporting structure, an elongated member secured to one of saidelements and being mounted on said structure in a position extendingaway from the element and substantially along the axis of the suspendedarticle, means connected to said supporting structure for supporting theother of said elements at a position spaced from the first-mentionedelement and permitting movement of the second-mentioned element relativeto the firstmentioned element, means for immersing the article in afluid while suspended between said elements, said last-mentioned meanscomprising a fluid container receiving said elongated member and mountedfor vertical adjustment along the same to embrace said article in theraised position and clear the article in the lowered position and havingupper and lower openings in the walls of the container for passage ofsaid elongated member through both said openings, means at the lower ofsaid openings between said container and said elongated member forsealing the opening in various positions of the adjustment.

CHESTER B. BUDD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 996,417 Laurence et a1. June 27,1911 1,885,209 Koester Nov. 1, 1932 2,121,482 Colbeth June 21, 19382,154,631 McNally Apr. 18, 1939 2,459,738 Prettyman et a1. Jan. 18, 1949FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 400,983 Germany Dec. 19, 1923622,323 Germany Nov. 26, 1935

